SW 637 finish peeling off?

I remember something about this coming up before, but I can't seem to get the search funtion to find it, so bare with me. I have a 637 that I carry as a BUG. Its one of the new ones with the clear coat over the aluminum frame. This clear coat is peeling and flaking off. Is this merely a cosmetic issue or is this coating some sort of protective coat? I really don't know much about aluminum alloys, but I don't think corrosion is really an issue with them is it? The reason I ask is that Smith wants me to send the gun back to them and if it is merely a cosmetic issue I would rather have an ugly BUG than to need the thing while its off getting repainted. If that is the case I'll just spray the thing down with gunscrubber and disolve off the rest of the coating and be done with it. Opinions?

You won't have a problem with corrosion since it is aluminum. I would send it back to S&W, it's free and thier service is fast. Just my opinion.

JAREDSHS

June 29, 2004, 10:07 AM

Copaup
I have a 637 and a 642, (wife keeps the 637). The 642 developed the
same problem. Looked like a bad case of sunburn peel! I carry the 642 everyday in my right front jeans pocket. I figured heat and humidity and
just plain old perspiration attacked the coating. I decided to finish taking
it off with solvent. I like the way it looks now really good. The aluminum
frame and the bead blasted cylinder and barrel nearly match now in appearance. I will never have it recoated with the same coating. The coating makes the gun look like a toy, the plain aluminum looks like a real
gun.

So far the 637 has not changed, but my wife does not handle it alot like I
do the 642.

I hope that S&W finds a better answer to the problem than just recoating.
Until they do I will leave mine the way it is. Looks fine to me. Other than
the coating idea they are superb firearms.

Dave Ginn

Josey

June 29, 2004, 01:15 PM

My 637 did the same thing. I took it as a sign of current S&W QC and traded it off. I expected better for the money spent. S&W is not doing the right thing by owners. I no longer have ANY S&W brand loyalty.

bountyhunter

June 29, 2004, 01:20 PM

Aluminum certainly will corrode. That is why they use an anodizing coating on aluminum gun frames. They also use a spray coating on aluminum aircraft skins.

I decided to finish taking
it off with solvent. I like the way it looks now really good. I swear to you this happened: when my dad was head of security at Otis AFB in massachsetts (1963), a general landed in his "personal use" aircraft which was an Air Force issue "conney" (constellation) plane. He did not like the dull look of the plane and ordered it "shined". So, they detailed about 50 guys with steel wool (seriously) and they shined it until it was mirror bright. The outside was aluminum and they had rubbed off the corrosion coating to get the skin shiny. A few months later the plane came back and it was the strangest shade of green you ever saw. The damage was extensive enough that the aircraft had to be grounded.

ruger357

June 29, 2004, 01:36 PM

Wow, learn something every day. thanks bountyhunter. Like I said send it back to S&W. By the way I have owned a 637 for a year and a half and have had no problems with fit or finish so far. I heard that they had a bad batch go out resulting in bad finishes, don't know if it is true or not just what I heard.

RWK

June 29, 2004, 02:05 PM

Bountyhunter is absolutely right. It seems that many individuals confuse “corrosion” and “rust”. Rust (ferrous oxide) cannot occur with aluminum, since it is not iron-based. But aluminum can -- and does -- extensively corrode. Look at any aged aluminum-framed storm window and you’ll likely see considerable corrosion. Similarly, the biggest man-hour consumer in Naval aviation maintenance is corrosion control, with aircraft exteriors largely composed of aluminum. Further, once the surface-protective coating is removed, aluminum will corrode far more quickly.

FYI, there are some aluminum alloys that are much more corrosion resistant, specifically aluminum lithium alloys.

JAREDSHS

June 29, 2004, 05:28 PM

I know that S&W will fix it.That's not the problem..My concern is am I going

to have to return the gun every 2 or 3 months to be re finished? I did not
spend that kind of money for a weapon that I will have to give up possesion
of 4 weeks a year. I bought it to have it in my pocket every day.

Dave Ginn

bountyhunter

June 29, 2004, 05:38 PM

I hear you on that. It sounds like some kind of urethane or epoxy finish. I think some kind of anodizing like Beretta uses on theuir alloy frames would be better. That stuff is indestructable.

You might ask SW if this clear stuff is attacked by acetone or gun cleaners.

JAREDSHS

June 29, 2004, 06:03 PM

That's the really discouraging part. I have only had the weapon less
than a month.HAVEN'T FIRED IT No cleaners of any kind ever used. Just
bought it liked it, put it in my pocket every day when I was out of the house. Maybe my wife uses the wrong detergent on my jeans....(supposed to sound funny)

Dave Ginn

Majic

June 29, 2004, 06:38 PM

There is a thread on the S&W forum of a member who took his brand new M642 and sprayed it with a gun cleaner and the finish just crinkled up and fell off. Others have reported of the finish flaking off after very little usage.

bountyhunter

June 29, 2004, 06:53 PM

There is a thread on the S&W forum of a member who took his brand new M642 and sprayed it with a gun cleaner and the finish just crinkled up and fell off. Sounds like they are using a clear urethane coating similar to what is applied to mag wheels on cars. Those also are damaged by acetone or the "simple green" wheel cleaner solution.

Not a good choice for a gun coating......:confused:

Majic

June 29, 2004, 10:03 PM

There were reports of Gunscrubber and even (of all things) Hoppe's #9 destroying the finish coating.

Diamondback

June 29, 2004, 10:08 PM

I can't help but wonder if that's why we see the 642's and 637's at such discounted prices right now........I've been thinking about picking up a 642 for pocket carry; perhaps I will take a closer look at what Taurus offers with similar features.